


Baby Can I Hold You

by Shinsun



Category: Hotblood!
Genre: Angst, Centaurs, Established Relationship, Kinda Songfic, Lazy Inconsistent Author, M/M, angst fics written at 5 AM, kinda modern au, like major angst, more fics based off of tumblr prompts, pitifully short, sap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 20:18:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3147266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinsun/pseuds/Shinsun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU. Based off a tumblr prompt: Imagine your OTP slow-dancing to a love song, with person A quietly singing the words in person B's ear. There was a little angsty twist to that prompt, and being the sadistic writer I am, of course I tied that in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby Can I Hold You

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom needed some angst. The song is "Baby Can I Hold You" by Tracy Chapman, if that wasn't obvious. Tracy Chapman's slow songs always bring out the angst monster in me. Also this is pathetically short good god...in my defense it was written at 5 AM after a night of no sleep.

The request was unexpected, but he had to admit it was strangely, morbidly fitting. Considering where they were, and considering the faint, reedy music emanating from the record player in the back of the room.

“Well this is a surprise,” Asa muttered dryly, dropping his gaze to the floor. Not like he was embarrassed or anything. “I never thought you’d be the one to ask for a dance, mister four-left-hooves.”

He almost heard Rook swallow, not even receiving a laugh for his weak attempt at humor, and when he spoke his voice sounded thick,”It’s just...we’re here and everything, and I just want the chance to...at least once…” He trailed off and held out a hand, and Asa tried to convince himself he was imagining it shaking slightly, “What d’you say, Asa?”

Asa hesitated, then lifted his shoulders slightly in a shrug and linked their fingers together, “Sure, but you know it’s going to be awkward as shit with you towering over me and probably stepping all over my feet.”

“I’ll take that risk, if it’s all the same to you,” Rook mumbled, and Asa hissed a breath at the death-grip he immediately enforced on his hand, leading him tentatively to an open area of floor. A crackle of static signaled the record player changing songs,  “It ain’t a ball room, but...considering…”

“Yes, considering,” Asa nodded grimly, a touch of impatience, “You wanna lead, Bronco, or what?” 

The teasing insult had lost most of its sting a long time ago, but he knew it still bothered Rook, on occasion. That he was bringing it out now only showcased how desperate he was to get a scowl, a retort, any reaction at all that wasn't this tense unease.

The first few, grainy strains of a slow, sweetly longing melody settled over the room, and Rook swallowed again, shifting his hooves slightly, “Sure, I know this one…”

Taking Asa’s other hand lightly in his own, he slowly rocked back, guiding Asa closer to him before shifting forward, seeming to mind what he’d said and watching where he put his hooves. Asa relaxed, swaying slowly with him, and eventually leaning his forehead against his chest, just shifting his weight on his feet, not even lifting them anymore. Rook’s hands left his and gently wrapped around his shoulders, his head bowing to more completely fold Asa in his embrace, his hair falling in curtains, like a protective canopy for just the two of them. Asa’s eyes slipped closed, and he breathed in Rook’s heat and scent, swallowing around a sudden, thick knot that had appeared in his throat. He wrapped his arms around Rook’s waist, tighter than was probably necessary, molding them together more securely as they swayed to the gentle, lilting rhythm of the song.

He felt the vibration of Rook murmuring something before he heard him, and it took him a long moment to realize he was singing, very softly, almost timidly, along with the song.

_“Sorry...is all that you can’t say._

_Years go by and still_

_Words don’t come easily_

_Like sorry, like sorry…”_

Suppressing an automatic inclination to tease him, Asa just breathed out a soft sigh against his shirt, bunching the fabric of the back of it up tighter in his fists, leaning still closer until his knees brushed against Rook’s front legs when next they shifted in the subtle, slow dance.

 _“Forgive me,_ ” Rook murmured, his voice rasping slightly at such a low volume and pitch, close to his ear,

_“Is all that you can’t say._

_Years go by and still_

_Words don’t come easily_

_Like forgive me, forgive me…”_

A new, abrupt and piercing sound cut into the serenity of the moment; the loud, keening wail of a siren, seeming far away and right on top of them at the same time. Around Asa’s shoulders, Rook’s arms trembled slightly, and he missed a beat, Asa’s teeth gritting together as the solid weight of his hoof pinched the tips of his toes against the floor, but he didn’t protest or comment, holding in his breath and the pained tears leaping to his eyes until the weight lifted. But the pit of dread that had gathered in his stomach at the sound of the siren remained.

"James -" he warned, before the peak of the siren's screech drowned him out.

"I know," Rook said shortly, not loosening his hold around him, which had become almost protective.

Asa couldn’t see the haze of smoke through the chestnut tent of Rook’s untied hair draping around his face, but he could smell it, and could feel the tingling warmth in the air gradually giving way heavy, oppressive heat.

Rook had been silent for a long time, missing a couple verses in the song as the harmonic, steady rhythm of their dance fell away. His grip on Asa had tightened, hugging him closer as the siren faded and the last few strands of the quiet song playing from that battered old record player could be heard.

 _“I love you…”_ Rook whispered shakily, his breath hitching slightly.

 _“Is all that you can’t say…”_ Asa felt something damp and hot land on the nape of his neck, and it occurred to him that his proud, strong, war veteran centaur was crying silently.

_“Years go by and still_

_Words don’t come easily_

_Like I love you...”_

Asa smelled the bite of sulfur, felt the enormous, scalding radiation, like a physical pressure crushing both of them to the rickety wooden floor where they now stood, motionless, enfolded in each other and neither able to admit to dry eyes anymore. He squinted open his own, watching Rook’s pale blue shirt white out as the devastating bomb careened ever downward, ever closer to obliterating them and everything around them for miles. He tilted his head up to get one last look at Rook’s face, his hazel eyes brimming with tears before they too were blotted out by the searing brightness, and he heard the last croaking words he would ever hear, right next to his ear, and yet a million miles away, fading and falling through endless white space as the world itself ended around them.

_“I love you.”_

 


End file.
